Lawrence crime, fire, courts coverage

Have a tip?

A 56-year-old Lawrence man has been sentenced to 52 months in prison after being convicted of a Feb. 20 robbery at the Midwest Credit Union, 1015 W. Sixth St.

Larry Eugene Martin, a registered Kansas drug offender, was sentenced today in Douglas County District Court after pleading guilty to one count of robbery last month. He said he entered the bank and demanded money from a teller while wearing a ski mask. A weapon was not used in the crime, and it's not clear how much money Martin was given. He was arrested the next day in Lawrence, and all of the money was recovered.

In the past, Martin had worked at his family's floor covering business in Lawrence. Later, he worked a series of other jobs before becoming unemployed.

Struggles with mental health and financial problems led Martin to make a "rash decision" to rob the bank, he said in a prepared statement to the court. "I used to think of bank robbery as fast cars and money," Martin said. But immediately after the robbery, he found himself splattered with red dye from an exploding dye pack hidden in the money. He dumped the evidence one block from his home and waited to be arrested, he said.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop charges of burglary and criminal use of a financial card that had been filed against Martin in a separate case.

Part of the answer might be that the man sentenced in this bank robbery had a criminal history, having already been convicted of a person felony. For a quick look at how sentencing works in Kansas, see the link below. Ian Cummings, LJW.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2013/jan...

Ian
Since you wrote the article I thought you would like to know some information in the article is incorrect. I am Larry's sister and he did not run Martin Floor Covering, his brother and wife did. Also he turned 56 the end of May, which is no big deal, just makes the article wrong.

" and it's not clear how much money Martin was given. He was arrested the next day in Lawrence, and all of the money was recovered. "
Ummmm......how do they know all the money was recovered, if it's "not clear how much money Martin was given"?